W. W. Harnage of Muskogee is now living retired from active business but for many years was closely identified with farming interests. A native of Texas, he was born in Rusk County, on the 8th of January, 1852, and is a son of George W. and Nancy (May-field) Harnage, both of whom were born and reared in the old Cherokee Nation in Georgia but were married in Oklahoma, where they resided until 1847. In that year they removed to Texas, where they spent their remaining days and in the Lone Star state they reared their family of four children, of whom W. W. Harnage is the only one living.
Spending his youthful days under the parental roof W. W. Harnage acquired a public school education and afterward took up the occupation of farming as a life work. He had early become familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and he continued to devote his attention to farming interests in Texas until 1883 and at the same time engaged in stock raising. In that year, however, he disposed of his interests in his native state and removed to Oklahoma, then the Indian Territory, settling on a farm in the vicinity of Muskogee. Again he concentrated his attention upon the live stock business and became prominently known as one of the leading stock raisers of the district in which he lived. He continued to devote his attention to his farm and live stock interests until 1919, when he retired from active farm life and now makes his home with his son in Muskogee.
In 1889 Mr. Harnage was married to Miss Jennie Vann, a representative of the Cherokee Nation, and they have become the parents of two children: Richard V. and C. D., both residents of Muskogee. The wife and mother passed away in 1899 and after two decades Mr. Harnage left the farm to make his home with his son.
Mr. Harnage and his son still own a place of two hundred and forty acres of highly improved and valuable land, from which they derive an excellent annual income. Mr. Harnage belongs to Alpha Lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Fort Gibson, and is a loyal follower of the teachings and purposes of the craft. In politics he has always been a Democrat, but has never sought nor desired office. He is one of the old settlers of the state, locating in the vicinity of Muskogee before the railroads were built and he has, therefore, witnessed the entire growth and development of this section. His labors have contributed to his progress and improvement and his life has been one of intense and well directed activity, bringing him a substantial measure of prosperity.